Patočka's reflections on Europe are an after-thought in the true sense of the word: they sketch out an idea of Europe after its end - without being a lament about decay and decline. On the contrary, his sketches of the beginning and end of Europe, of its special role in history and as history, only form the prelude to an in-depth examination of what the phenomenon of Europe could mean for the post-European world. Far from being an apologia for Europe after its failure, Patočka's reflections do not become the historical reckoning that is en vogue today. "Perhaps the meaning of Europe's downfall is positive." This sentence signals that it is precisely the decentering of Europe that offers a bridge to the cultural differences of the globalized world.